


Your Pain Is My Pain

by DimensionTripperHomura



Series: Let It Burn [3]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 09:31:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11688852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DimensionTripperHomura/pseuds/DimensionTripperHomura
Summary: An insight into Future Honoka's past and present. Eli is off on a reckless mission in a bid to get revenge for Arisa. Her recklessness leads to Nozomi taking a hit for her.





	Your Pain Is My Pain

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you guys want more fics about the future of the LIB verse. I have a few I could post. I hope you enjoy!

Honoka stared at her fingers as they slid neatly between Kotori’s, the other girl clasping her hand tightly a second later, seemingly an automatic response to the gesture. It was rare that they had a moment to themselves like this. Usually one of them was out on a mission of some kind. Kotori had just gotten back from one and Honoka was due to go out later that night with Eli.  
  
“Are you ready?” Kotori’s voice was quiet, as though she hadn’t really wanted to break the comfortable silence between them at all. “You’ll be careful, won’t you?"  
  
“Of course.” Honoka said softly, shifting on the bed to look down into Kotori’s eyes. “Aren’t I always?”  
  
“Not always.” Kotori’s eyes were darkened with fear that Honoka understood all too well. Kotori usually went out with Hanayo and Rin on less than dangerous missions while Honoka usually made a point of pairing herself with Eli. She needed to be there for the blonde, there was no question about that.  
  
“I’ll come back.” Honoka leaned in to silence Kotori’s worried argument with a quick kiss. When she pulled back, she smiled softly when she noticed that Kotori’s eyes were still shut. Distracting Kotori was something she could do easily, she did it often to keep her from learning the truth about certain dangerous missions.  
  
Kotori sighed softly and opened her eyes. “As long as you come back to our room and you don’t end up sleeping with Eli-chan and Maki-chan again.”  
  
Honoka grinned at the jealous look on Kotori’s face. She knew that it bothered her girlfriend a little bit that she was so close to Eli. Maki too. “You’re here, why would I need to sleep with them?” Besides that, she knew Nozomi would be there that night too, meaning Eli would be with her. One of the main reasons the blonde went to Maki was so that the doctor could telepathically stop her nightmares. They were unbearable for her, Honoka knew, from the many times she and Eli had fallen asleep together. She often woke screaming for Arisa, heartbroken sobs quickly following when she remembered her sister was gone. Honoka pushed the idea away and distracted herself by gently teasing her girlfriend. “Their boobs do make good pillows though.”  
  
Kotori huffed at the response and moved her hands to the back of Honoka’s head, pulling her in for a deep kiss. She was satisfied by the squeak of surprise that escaped Honoka though a second later, Honoka was kissing her back.  
  
Kotori used Honoka’s distraction to reach between them and carefully unbutton her own shirt. Already knowing what Honoka’s reaction would be it took all of her willpower not to laugh into the kiss. Her shirt unbuttoned, she picked up one of Honoka’s hands and brought it to the centre of her chest. As she’d expected, that hand quickly tried to move to her breast though she held it firmly in place.

Honoka whined against Kotori’s lips.   
  
Kotori reluctantly turned her head to break the kiss. It seemed that kissing Honoka was enough to distract her from just about anything, even a point she was trying to prove. “That’s what you get for talking about another woman’s boobs.” She squeezed the hand in her own to emphasize what she was saying. “Any more of that and I won’t let you touch them for a week.”  
  
"A week?” Honoka’s eyes widened slightly in alarm and she glanced down at Kotori’s chest. “But…but…”  
  


Kotori bit the inside of her cheek to hold back a grin. “But nothing. Is it that hard not to talk about anyone else’s boobs?” She leaned in for another kiss only to stop suddenly as the bedroom door across the room flew open.   
  


Nozomi rushed into the bedroom without pausing to check what Kotori and Honoka were doing and Kotori hurriedly covered herself with her arms.   
  


“N-Nozomi-chan!” She exclaimed, blushing violently at her state of undress. She shuffled closer to Honoka, trying to use her girlfriend’s body to shield herself.   
  


“Honoka-chan, I need you to teleport me to Akihabara right now!” Nozomi explained, coming to a stop near the edge of the bed. She thrust a piece of paper into Honoka’s hand. “Now. Come on!”

“What?” Honoka glanced down at the piece of paper she was holding, finding a hurriedly scribbled note. “W-Why? Maki-chan says I shouldn’t use my power if I’m…”  
  


“I don’t care what Maki-chan says, Elichi is in trouble!” Nozomi practically yelled, desperation audible in her voice. “She thinks she knows where Tsubasa is and she’s rushing in there on her own. She’s going to get herself killed if we don’t go. Elichi would never leave me a note usually…” her voice cracked audibly, her eyes flooding with tears. She couldn’t lose Eli. “Please, Honoka-chan. We need to go.”  
  
“I’ll go with you.” Kotori spoke, hurriedly buttoning up her shirt. She already knew what Honoka’s answer to Nozomi’s request would be. She would never leave Eli if she was in trouble. At least if she was there with Honoka she could make sure she was safe.  
  
“No. I’m sorry, Kotori-chan.” Honoka reached out and grabbed Nozomi’s arm. She focused on the address Nozomi had given her and a second later her bedroom melted away to black. It was soon replaced by the empty streets of Akihabara.  
  
Honoka grabbed her head as a familiar stab of pain shot through it. She was used to it by now but it never seemed to get any easier. She felt herself being pulled close to something soft and warm and opened her eyes to find that Nozomi had pulled her close.  
  
“Come on, we have to find Elichi.” Nozomi said, slowly letting go of Honoka. She didn’t care what she had to do, there was no way she would let Eli die. Her girlfriend may have a death wish but Nozomi didn’t know what she would do if she lost her. She was sure she would give up, just like Eli always said she would if anything happened to Nozomi.  
  
“Look!” Honoka pointed in the distance, spotting a flurry of blue sparks. She grabbed Nozomi again, quickly teleporting them over there without thinking about the consequences. The moment they reappeared, her head back to spin, her vision blurring. “Oh…” She stumbled forward, falling to her hands and knees.  
  
“Honoka-chan!” Nozomi exclaimed, crouching down next to the ginger haired girl.  
  
“Honoka?!” Eli, who was facing off with Tsubasa a few feet away looked up sharply. At the sight of Honoka on her hands and knees her stomach dropped. She started toward her only to be stopped by a bolt of electricity being shot in her direction. She hurriedly jumped back and turned to Tsubasa with wide eyes. “Where’d you pick up that trick?”  
  
Tsubasa smirked at the question. “It’s not the only trick I picked up. Being clairvoyant sure is useful, not to mention the ability to find you whenever I want to. It almost makes killing…what was her name?”  
  
“You shut your fucking mouth!” Eli’s clenched fists were engulfed in blue flames.  
  
Tsubasa clicked her fingers as if she’d come to a great discovery. “Arisa, that was her name! It almost makes killing her worth the effort. Not quite but almost. The look on your face was the best part.”  
  
“I’ll kill you.” Eli growled low in her throat, flames licking at her arms. Her eyes prickled with angry tears. As soon as she got her hands on Tsubasa she would make her pay. “I’ll make it hurt a million times more than you hurt her, I swear it.  
  
Tsubasa laughed loudly at the threat and carelessly waved her hand toward Eli, sending another bolt of electricity toward her. Eli was too slow to move out of the way this time and it hit her in the shoulder, sending her staggering back with a cry of pain. “I see you’re still as slow as ever. Probably why you didn’t get to your precious sister in time.”

Honoka’s stomach twisted uncomfortably at Tsubasa’s goading and she grabbed Nozomi’s shoulder in an effort to push herself up from the ground. “Leave her alone!” She remembered Eli’s anguish that day all too well. It hadn’t left the blonde since. She felt a hand on her back, pushing her back down and she looked up in confusion to meet Nozomi’s sharp stare.

“Don’t use your power.” Nozomi warned her, pushing herself to her feet. She knew the effect Honoka’s power had on her. Using it again would probably do some damage. She noticed Eli’s attention inevitably stray toward Honoka, the anger in her eyes being dimmed by concern. It was typical of those two, to always seek each other out like that, but it wasn’t the best thing to do during a fight. It just distracted the both of them.

Eli clutched her shoulder with her free hand, mystified by the burn. Her own flames didn’t harm her but it seemed she wasn’t immune to electrical burns. Dazed, it took her a moment to look up but when she did it was just in time to see Nozomi rush toward her, blocking her view of Tsubasa. She inhaled sharply as her girlfriend threw her arms around her.

“What are you doing, we’re in the middle o-” She stopped suddenly as Nozomi jerked forward against her, a soft grunt escaping her lips. Eli heard it loud and clear, given that Nozomi’s mouth was right next to her ear. “Oh. Oh no. No, no, no…Nozomi!”

Honoka, having managed to stagger to her feet watched what was happening with wide eyes.

Eli felt something warm trickle onto her hand, Nozomi’s body suddenly growing limp against her. Unable to hold them both up with her wounded shoulder, she collapsed to her knees. “No! Nozomi, what the hell did you do?” Her hands skimmed over Nozomi’s back, finally closing around the hilt of a blade. She looked up, her eyes finding Tsubasa’s.

“I have many skills.” Tsubasa smirked, holding her hands up in front of her to form a ball of electricity.   
  
Eli didn’t pay her any attention, too focused on Nozomi. “Nozomi, look at me!” She ordered when Nozomi didn’t say a word. “Don’t even think about closing your eyes, do you hear me?”

Nozomi coughed, her eyes watering with the effort to keep them open. “It hurts…”

There was a familiar ache in Eli’s chest, one that she’d only felt on one other occasion. Memories of her sister’s lifeless body flashed before her eyes. She wouldn’t lose Nozomi. She couldn’t. She shook her head, tears falling free. “Just stay with me…” She saw a shadow fall over Nozomi and tensed, ready to jump to her defense. When she glanced up she found it was only Honoka though. “Honoka?”

“Come on.” Honoka stumbled to her knees, gently taking Nozomi’s wrist and Eli’s hand. It wasn’t just Nozomi’s life that was at stake. It was Eli’s too. For Eli there would be no coming back from losing Nozomi.

Eli stared at Honoka in shock, noticing the blood smeared under her nose. “You can’t…”

Honoka merely gave a shake of her head. She wouldn’t let Eli lose someone else she held dear. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to focus on the doctor’s office back home but her head was swimming. “Maki-chan, Maki-chan, Maki-chan…”

The familiar feeling of teleporting overwhelmed her and a few minutes later she felt her knees meet solid ground again. She didn’t have a chance to open her eyes, a sharp pain forming in her temples. She tilted forward, her surroundings fading once again.

  
—

Honoka woke some time later to an all too familiar room. One of the hospital rooms in the base. It seemed like she spent more time there than she spent in her own bedroom. She groaned at the pounding pain in her head and lifted her hand to press against it. “What…?”

“Honoka-chan?” Honoka turned toward Kotori’s voice, her vision blurring for a moment. She found Kotori standing next to her bed, tear stains on her cheeks. “H-Honoka-chan!”

Honoka winced as Kotori leaned into embrace her as best she could.

“I was so worried!” Kotori exclaimed tearfully. She had never been more terrified than when she’d spotted Honoka being carried away, blood in the corners of her eyes and under her nose. She could still remember Eli’s screams, both for Honoka and Nozomi. “Maki-chan said you might not wake up for a while.”

“I’m alright.” Honoka rasped, lifting her hand to gently place it on the back of Kotori’s head. Her brow furrowed as she thought back to what had happened. It was all so hazy. “W-Where’s Nozomi-chan?! Is she okay?”

“She got out of surgery a few hours ago but she hasn’t woken up. Eli won’t talk to anyone. She’s with Nozomi-chan.” Kotori leaned back only for Honoka to sit up abruptly. “Honoka-chan, where are you…?”

“I have to go to Eli-senpai.” Honoka met Kotori’s eyes, silently pleading with her to understand. “I just need to see how she is then I’ll be back. Nozomi-chan too.”

Kotori was tempted to tell Honoka to lie right back down but she supposed in some ways she understood. “Be careful. If you’re not back in half an hour I’m coming to look for you.”

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Honoka’s sigh of relief was cut short by Maki’s appearance in the doorway. “Ma-Maki-chan.” She gave a nervous little laugh and rubbed the back of her neck. “I-I was just going to the bathroom.”

“No you weren’t.” Maki, clad in her usual doctor’s coat, entered the room. She looked exhausted, as if she’d been up all night. She probably had, knowing her. “If you try to get out of that bed I’ll sedate you. Again.”

“Why?” Honoka whined miserably. “Please Maki-chan, I just want to see Eli-senpai and Nozomi-chan. I’ll come back right after and I’ll stay in bed all day, I promise.”

Maki opened her mouth to say no only to be interrupted by Kotori.

“I think you should let her. She won’t settle until she sees them and I told her she only has half an hour.”

Maki crossed her arms in front of her chest. “After you see them come right back here, I want to perform some tests. And if you even think about teleporting I’ll find a way to strip you of those powers of yours, Honoka. She’s three doors down. You have fifteen minutes!”

Honoka smiled at Maki’s angry response. She knew that her friend was only trying to look out for her. “Yes, Maki-chan.” She leaned in, gratefully kissing Kotori’s cheek before she slid off the bed. The room spun when her feet hit the ground but she tried not to show it, ambling her way toward the door instead. It took her longer than usual because she had to stop a few times on the way but finally she reached the room Nozomi was in. Carefully, she slid open the door and stepped inside. Nozomi was still unconscious, hooked up to some unfamiliar machines.

Eli was sitting next to her, Nozomi’s hand clasped tightly in both of her own. Her face was passive though it was clear that she’d been crying quite recently. She didn’t look up when Honoka entered, nor when she approached to lay a hand on her shoulder.

“Eli-senpai.” Honoka whispered, her eyes glued to Nozomi. She wasn’t dead, that was definitely a good thing, but she looked so weak.

Eli bit down hard on her bottom lip, tears prickling at her eyes again. “Why are you both such idiots?” It wasn’t right for them to try to protect her with their lives, it should be the other way around. She knew exactly why Honoka had teleported them back to the base, risking her own life in the process. Eli was already close to self-destructing. Without Nozomi there was hardly anything to stop her. She let go of Nozomi’s hand for a moment and turned to Honoka, her arms going around her waist.

Honoka gasped as she was pulled close, Eli’s face pressing against her stomach. As the blonde dissolved into soft sobs, she leaned down slightly to awkwardly embrace her. “Nozomi and I would do anything for you, you know that. I couldn’t let you lose her.”

Eli shook her head, holding onto Honoka even tighter than she had been a moment ago. Her life wasn’t worth theirs. If she lost either of them she didn’t know what she would do.

Honoka gently trailed her fingers through Eli’s hair, waiting patiently for her to calm down. She noticed movement from the bed after a moment and held her breath as Nozomi’s brow furrowed. “Eli-senpai, I think she’s waking up.”

Eli pulled away quickly, her gaze turning to Nozomi. She stood up and stepped forward to grip her hand again. “Nozomi?”

“Elichi…” Nozomi mumbled, struggling against the darkness that surrounded her.

Honoka allowed a small smile to tug at her lips. She needed to leave anyway. She was sure that by now Maki or Kotori would be hovering around outside. “She can’t lose you either, you know.”

Eli didn’t respond but she understood what Honoka was trying to tell her. She smiled tearfully as Nozomi’s eyes finally opened. “Hey.” She reached out, gently touching her cheek. For a few terrifying minutes she had honestly thought she would lose her.

“Elichi, what…?” Nozomi’s gaze found it’s way to Eli’s shoulder, the bandage Maki had applied to the wound visible due to the tank top she was wearing. “You’re okay…”

Eli moved to perch upon the bed in order to be closer to Nozomi. “Yeah, you saved me.” She picked up Nozomi’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Just don’t do anything like that again, alright? I can’t…” Her voice cracked audibly. She couldn’t imagine her life without her girlfriend. “I can’t lose you, Nozomi.”

“I can’t lose you either.” Nozomi whispered meaningfully. It pained her that Eli seemed to be so hellbent on getting revenge that she didn’t care about her own life. When Eli guiltily looked away, she sighed. Nothing would change. “Did I hear Honoka-chan earlier…? She’s alright, isn’t she?”

“She passed out when she teleported us back. It was pretty bad.” Eli remembered with a shudder that Honoka had collapsed to the ground. Maki, who had been closeby had looked beyond afraid. “She’s fine. I’m sure Maki is going to give her a long lecture.”

Nozomi laughed softly at the true enough suggestion but it was cut short as pain shot through her chest. “Ow…” Tears gathered in her eyes as she waited for the pain to pass. It didn’t leave her completely. “It hurts.”

Eli frowned at the pained look on Nozomi’s face. “Here.” She placed Nozomi’s hand over her heart. “Give some of it to me.”

Nozomi’s eyes widened slightly at the command. “What? N-No, I couldn’t.” She tried to pull her hand away but Eli didn’t let go.

“Do you remember the night Arisa…died?” The question was enough for Nozomi to fall still. Eli hardly ever talked about Arisa, at least with her. “I remember what you did for me, Nozomi.” Even Maki’s telepathy hadn’t been enough to force Eli to sleep then. Nozomi had stayed with her all night, easing the pain. “I just want to help you in the same way. Please.”

“It’s not the same.” Nozomi argued meekly. She would be inflicting physical pain on Eli, not emotional. There was a big difference.

“I can handle it.” Eli leaned in and gently kissed Nozomi’s dry lips. “Your pain is my pain, remember? Your loss is my loss.”

Nozomi swallowed thickly against the lump in her throat. “I didn’t know you were listening.” Eli had seemed out of it that night, lost in her despair.

It was hard to talk about still, maybe even harder than ever now that it had been so long since she’d last seen her sister. “You saved me that night too. I just wanted…” She took a shuddering breath. She had just wanted it all to stop. “Come on, Nozomi. I can take it.”

Nozomi, although reluctant, focused on pushing the ache she felt toward Eli, imagining it streaming through her hand. Her own pain lessened much to her relief. She saw the flicker of a grimace on Eli’s face and almost reigned her power in until Eli squeezed her hand.

“Thank you.” Eli gently rested her forehead against Nozomi’s and closed her eyes. She would have to thank Honoka too later, for getting Nozomi to safety in time. “You know I love you, don’t you?”

A tired smile tugged at Nozomi’s lips. “I know you do, Elichi.” She could feel it, no matter how much she tried to turn her power off. She could always feel how much Eli loved her. “I love you too.”

“I know.” Eli whispered. Maybe she wasn’t deserving of Nozomi’s love, but she had it, and she wasn’t willing to ever give it up.


End file.
